Hyuga Diaries
by Straken
Summary: Title says it all. A diary written from Hinata's perspective. Starts six year before The Paradox, my other story , also posted here,and will probably continue until after The Paradox. Dunno what pairing I'll be doing, but prob be a SasuxHina .
1. Chapter 1

July 8th 20XX

Well, this is something I'm writing really as an experiment. A change of style. I don't know if it will be good or not, but please review. If it works out, then I'll start on a new chapter.

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July 8th 20XX

Entry 1

It was a sad day. One that I hope I never experience again.

I stood on the forests grounds, staring at the stone which stood in the center. Cold wind blew through the crowd, ruffling my hair and I shivered. The grey bleakness sky did not help improve the weather much either. I was garbed in a full black robe. The other people around me were dressed in a variety of clothing, but all of the same color – somber black. I looked around carefully. There were actually a lot of people gathered; some I know personally some I don't. I had expected somewhat of a lesser crowd. After all, there were so many familiar faces missing.

I glanced around the crowd, trying to find the face of the ones who had returned. My brother, Kiba and Lee were the only ones I could spot. There were more I'm sure, but could not spot them through the crowd. I could have used my Byakugan, but I was apprehensive about it. What if my worst fears were confirmed? What if those three were the only ones left? Then I spotted him. The boy had let his hair down, and the dark blue hair sat just above his shoulders. His face was downcast and his hands firm by his side. I could not tell his expression – perhaps it was regret, perhaps fear, perhaps something else. But I knew that he was sad. Somehow I knew. Maybe it was because the usual glint in his blood red eyes was absent. Maybe it was because of something else. I do not know.

The silence among the crowd was broken – by raindrops. As the clouds broke and it began to rain, my heart matched the weather's mood – sad and depressed. Tsunade- sama walked across the crowd at a stately pace. With each step that touched the ground, my heart raced faster.

Tsunade- sama stopped by the tombstone. She said something, made a speech. But I could not hear her over the pattering raindrops. Her voice was soft. It was as though she was afraid that if she raised her voice, it would break down into rambling sobs.

At the end of her words, Tsunade- sama formed chakra over her fingertips. She paused momentarily, probably to collect herself. Then, below the name Uchiha Obito, she carved the first name onto the stone.

Sharingan Kakashi. She did not carve his real name. It was an act to remember him, both as a friend and an exemplary ninja.

Might Guy. Kakashi's rival, yet his close friend. One of Konoha's greatest ninja too. I watched as Tsunade- sama closed her eyes, her hand hovering over the stone. Then, she opened her eyes and resumed etching the names, never stopping again.

Aburame Shino

Tenten

Iruka Umino

Jiraiya

Sarutobi Asuma

.

.

.

The list of names continued, and I fought to control my tears with each passing one. But as the last name was etched on, I lost all forms of control. The teardrops rolled down my cheeks, mixing with the raindrops before hitting the ground. I glanced around. Not many people were crying. But the boy – Uchiha Sasuke – was crying. I was surprised. He should be stronger than that. But the tears still rolled down from the corners of his blood red eyes.

Etched on the stone in large, capitalized letters,

UZUMAKI NARUTO


	2. Chapter 2

July 11th 20XX

July 11th 20XX

Entry 2

Three days had past, yet my time had stopped on July 8th.

I woke up today, the dream still fresh in my mind. It had been a recurring dream. I dreamt about him, drenched in blood, yet still smiling. I imagined his words, his fervent determination. I imagined it and cried. Did he die smiling? Did Naruto die abiding by his rules? I would answer yes.

Life was going on as usual. It was not usual, however. I saw their faces. The expressions of those who loved lost ones. I saw their downcast eyes and solemn looks. They were working. Life cannot stop because of a loss. A ninja must never show their emotions – that was the rule. Everyone was slow to act today. Everyone was trudging along. I was one of those people. Dragging heavy footsteps behind them and not letting go of the past. I was one of those who could not forget. How could I? I asked myself repeatedly.

I walked towards the information center to pick up my mission. It will probably be a small one. Subduing a mountain lion, or retrieving a lost item. We were in the process of recovering. Accepting difficult missions would do us no help.

Then, I saw him. The glares of the people would precede him by minutes, and I would always know when he's around. Uchiha Sasuke. The atmosphere would be tense if he was walking along the street. People would glare at him accusingly. This was all your fault, they would probably mentally project. His Sharingan would dart around, the cold stare breaking all other eye contacts. I hear the people whisper and complain. How could the Hokage let him return? I was one of those people. I seethed internally. That was the person who betrayed us. That was the person who took my important someone away. And the Hokage was letting him return?

I walked down the street. It was unavoidable. There was only one route to the information center. Uchiha, I would call him, was doing it again. I would not acknowledge him by his first name. Never. He was doing it again. Staring down everyone who glared at him. Something broke inside me. I was raging, and yet could not do anything about it. Tsunade- sama's orders. Besides, he was probably stronger than I am.

But I was determined to do something. Something that would offend that Uchiha. I glared at him as we walked by. I devoted the full intensity of my set of white eyes towards him. I poured my malice and hatred against him into that one stare.

Uchiha might have felt my murderous aura directed at him, for he turned. I could not care less. He could not touch anyone, unless for self- defense. That was the golden law Tsunade- sama stipulated.

He looked at me, blood red Sharingan looking directly at my snow white Byakugan. I taunted him mentally. The glint in my eye dared him to challenge me. Uchiha held the gaze for a moment. Then his eyes softened a fraction. Just a fraction. Then the coldness in his gaze returned. Uchiha turned away from me and walked on.

I caught a glimpse of his emotions behind that aloof façade. Happiness, anger, guilt, but mostly regret. This emotions were mixed up beneath that icy surface, and I wondered: How could anyone experience so much and not explode?

I was shocked. Uchiha was different from my imagination.


	3. Chapter 3

July 27th 20XX

July 27th 20XX

Entry 3

It was already a week. Yet the ice within me had not melting. I was thinking about Naruto constantly. Every minute, every second.

The village of Konoha was already well on its well to recovery. Having gotten over their initial grief, there was now purpose in the villagers' eyes. They toiled daily working hard to rebuild the destruction Konoha had experienced. The sun shone in them, unlocking the case of ice wrapped around their hearts. But mine did not melt. It stayed hard and icy because I could not forget. I would not forget.

I felt his presence again, always behind me, always just out of sight. But nothing could hide from my Byakugan. I saw Uchiha, lurking by the shadows and trying to conceal his presence. Uchiha did not need to do that, for most of the villagers have already gotten used to his presence and tolerated it. But he did that because he was trailing someone. Trailing me.

I had noticed him since the day I came back from my mission four days ago. It was a simple one, as I expected, and involved me defending a small village in the Rice Country against the periodic bandit attacks. It was a long wait for the bandits to show up, and during the time, the mission had taken my mind off the tragic matters I had experienced. It eased my pain, but did not do enough. Regardless of what the mission did, I came back from it still feeling a wrenching pain in my heart. And I noticed Uchiha with my Byakugan's vision revolving in all angles.

Today was the final straw. I was tired of his constant trailing. Of his enigmatic presence in my life. I was irritated of him lurking around me like a mysterious entity. As if I had not sensed him. I turned around and marched straight towards Uchiha's hiding spot. He saw my deliberate march and hid himself. But he could not escape me. His chakra showed up as a blob of blue in my vision, and I caught him behind an alleyway, a light smile playing on his lips. It was not a sardonic smile. It was not a sheepish smile. It was a regretful smile. It was as though Uchiha was smiling to comfort himself so that he would stay sane.

"What do you want," I remembered myself asking angrily today. "Why are you following me?"

Uchiha looked at me, the sadness in his eyes evident. I did not care. Let him cry himself to death. He refused to say anything. I could not take it anymore. Why was this person so impossibly agitating! I punched him. I congratulated myself silently when I saw Uchiha's eyes widen in shock as my fist slammed against his jaw. To add a final touch, I shoved a little of my chakra into his internal system to disrupt it and cause more pain. When I saw Uchiha fly three feet backwards, I turned to leave. He deserved that, I told myself repeatedly.

"He told me to," I heard Uchiha murmur.

I spun around and stared at Uchiha. He was leaning on the wall, using it as a support. His legs were shaky and his lips bleeding. His jawbone hung loosely by the side, knocked off by the impact of my punch. But I did not care about any injuries. All I cared about was his words.

"What did you say?!" I demanded.

Uchiha gazed at me softly. "He told me to," he whispered, before collapsing in a heap by the wall.

Those words were our first exchanged. And it cracked the ice in me, forming strain lines on the blue- tinged surface.


End file.
